Affordable Online Graduate Certificates in Marketing

Advance Your Career with a Graduate Certificate

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Marketing professionals advance their career in numerous ways. Some earn a promotion by attaining professional experience, while others return to school to earn a master's degree. A third option includes a graduate certificate in marketing.

Prospective students comparing marketing master's degrees and marketing graduate certificates consider the two options' similarities and differences. Although both offer similar coursework, certificates require fewer courses and take less time to complete. Also, typical graduate certificates provide greater academic flexibility, allowing learners to create a custom curriculum aligning with their interests and career goals. However, employers may offer management-level positions solely to candidates with a master's.

A marketing certificate confers many of the same benefits as a master's degree. A certificate signifies that workers possess not only advanced skills and knowledge but also a dedication to their profession. Some graduates may qualify for a raise, depending on their employer. Also, professionals with a certificate receive transfer credit if they enroll in a master's in marketing program.

Frequently Asked Questions: Graduate Certificate in Marketing

Why Get a Certificate in Marketing?

A graduate certificate in marketing confers numerous professional and personal benefits. Students achieve them by excelling in class and using their school's academic and career resources.

Courses in Marketing

Online graduate certificates in marketing feature core courses that may include marketing management, marketing research, and marketing strategy. Students supplement core courses with electives aligning with their professional goals. These courses feature the same rigor as courses in master's in marketing programs. However, certificate-seekers do not write a thesis or complete a final project.

The following sample curriculum introduces typical core courses and electives. Prospective students should remember that not all universities require these courses. Please contact a university's academic or admissions advisor to learn the most up-to-date information regarding course and graduation requirements.

Career and Salary Outlook for Marketing

Professionals with a marketing graduate certificate apply their education and experience toward earning a promotion or researching new career opportunities. Careers like those below feature a salary much higher than the national median and robust projected job growth from 2019-2029.

Certificate-seekers prepare for these or other careers by earning excellent grades and speaking with a career counselor. Top universities also offer online learners virtual resources that include interest inventories, career data, and job boards.

• Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers

  Advertising, promotions, and marketing managers develop and coordinate campaigns promoting their clients' goods and services. Day-to-day responsibilities include negotiating contracts, researching market trends, and meeting with clients. These professionals also work with human resources managers to recruit and train new employees. These positions require applicants to possess significant experience in addition to an undergraduate or graduate education.

• Market Research Analysts

  Companies hire market research analysts to forecast sales trends, understand consumer preferences, and turn their findings into results stakeholders understand. Other job duties include creating new ways to gather data efficiently. The career provides some specialization, as analysts gifted with developing unbiased and accurate surveys work as survey researchers.

• Sales Managers

  Sales managers use their extensive experience and college education to train and supervise new sales team members. Other managerial responsibilities include developing pricing plans and discounts, overseeing sales territories, and drawing conclusions from sales statistics. Professionals in this role specialize in either business-to-business or business-to-consumer sales. Both require a similar skill set.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Most Affordable Online Graduate Certificates in Marketing 2021